Prof. Alfred Cerezo has been part of Wolfson College since 1985, first joining as Junior Research Fellow and later as Research Fellow (1989), and Governing Body Fellow (1995).
During these years, his research at the Department of Materials in Oxford focused on the development and applications of the 3-dimensional atom probe – an instrument that permits the study of advanced engineering materials at the level of single atoms. This experimental work was coupled to atomistic models of how metallic alloys change during production and in service. Being able to visualise and simulate the structure and chemistry of materials at the atomic-scale is crucial to understanding their properties, and as a result much of the work was performed in collaboration with industry (e.g. Rolls-Royce, Johnson-Matthey, Seagate Technologies).
Cerezo also helped to commercialise the 3-dimensional atom probe technology, and although the company he helped create was bought out by a competitor in the US in 2006, these instruments continue to be produced and sold to research laboratories around the world.